Variable pitch and reversing propeller for marine motors



May 29, 1951 LE ROY M. MELIUS 2,554,716

VARIABLE PITCH AND REVERSING PROPELLER FOR MARINE MOTORS Filed May 7,1947 f2 1 o I, I

INVENTOR. LEROY M. MELI'LJE:

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 29, 1951 VARIABLE PITCH AND REVERSING PRO- PELLER FORMARINE MOTORS LeRoy M. Melius, Southport, Conn., assignor to The LemelCorporation, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut ApplicationMay 7, 1947, Serial No. 746,538

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a variable pitch and reversingpropeller for marine motors,

and has for an object to provide a device of this character especiallyadapted for cooperative association with an outboard type of marinemotor. It is particularly proposed to provide a propeller assemblycapable of convenient attachment as a unit to the outboard motorstructure, such unit including the pitch changing mechanism, a propellerdrive shaft and a drive gear, the latter adapted upon attachment of theunit to the convcntional gear box portion of the outboard motorstructure to engage within the gear box in meshing relation with theconventional driving pinion of the outboard motor. A further object isto provide manual control means for varying the propeller pitch, suchcontrol means being carried by the propeller unit and adapted formounting upon a conveniently accessible part of the outboard motorstructure.

A further object is to provide an improved propeller blade structurewherein a trailing blade portion of the blade is fixed to the propellerhub while a main body portion of the blade is pivotally mounted to varyits pitch, the fixed trailing blade portion being so disposed that it isin register with the main body portion in the full forward drivingposition of the blade, constituting an abutment to positively limit thedriving position of the blade under the force of the pressure exertedupon the blade as it moves in the water, thus'relieving the pitchchanging mechanism of strain in the full driving position of the blade.Other objects are to provide a propeller unit of simple, inexpensive andsturdy construction, and in which the working parts are effectuallyprotected against damage from foreign objects coming into contacttherewith.

With the above and other objects in view, an

embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, andthis embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with ref erencethereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the lower end portion ofan outboard motor provided with a propeller unit according to theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in end elevation and partially in verticalsection, taken along the line 7 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 3'3 of Fig.1.

v Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View, taken along the line 65 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the outboard motor, partially illustrated inthe drawings, is of conventional type, being provided at its lowerportion with the usual propeller mounting part including a horizontalfin portion [6 and a downwardly extending rudder portion H, the latterbeing provided with a hollow suitably shaped gear box portion l2 inwhich is disposed the driving pinion 13 provided upon the lower end ofthe vertical shaft It extending downwardly from the engine. The gear boxportion I2 is provided at its rearward open end with a recessed pocket[5 in which there is normally engaged a cover and bearing plate whichcarries the conventional propeller shaft. It is proposed, according tothe invention, to utilize this pocket to mount the variable pitchpropeller unit of the invention.

The variable pitch propeller unit comprises a bearing fixture E6 ofcircular form adapted to fit in the recess 15 in sealing engagement withthe open end of the gear box, being fixedly secured by bolts 17-! "Idisposed in counter-sunk holes l8-I 3 in the fixture and engaging screwholes Iii-l9 provided in the rearward face of the gear box for attachingthe conventional cover and bearing plate thereto. The fixture I6 isprovided with a central rearwardly projecting hub 20, and with an axialbore 2 I, in which the propeller drive shaft 22 is rotatably engaged,this drive shaft having hearing at its inner end in the bearing 23provided in the gear box for the conventional propeller shaft, andadapted to have the rotatable hub of the propeller secured upon itsouter end, as will presently more fully appear. Upon the shaft there issecured a beveled gear 24 having its hub portion engaged in acounter-bore 25 of the bore 2|, this gear being of suitable size andtype to mesh with the driving pinion [3 of the outboard motor. Thefixture I 5 is provided at its periphery with a circular flange 26 and acylindrical bearing surface 2'! which constitute bearing surfaces forthe rotatable hub of the propeller, as will presently more fully appear.

The propeller hub 28 is of cup-like form, and is provided at its outerend with a bushing 29 rigidly cast or otherwise secured therein in whichthe outer end of the shaft 22 is engaged and secured by means of a shearpin it. The hub is of generally cylindrical shape, and includes acylindrical pocket 3i having bearing engagement at the forward open endof the hub with the fiange 26 and bearing surface 21 of the fixture Hi,this pocket providing a housing space for parts of the pitch changingmechanism. A pocket 32 of substantially rectangular form extends fromthe base of the circular pocket 3| and also provides housing space forparts of the pitch changing mechanism. At two opposed sides of thepocket 32 there are provided axially aligned diametrically disposedholes 33-33 having bearing sleeves 34-34 respectively secured therein,and in which are engaged the hub portions 35-35 of the propeller blades36-36, the hub portions each having a shoulder 31 at its outer end whichseats upon the outer end of the bearing sleeve in a pocket formation 38at the outer end of the hole 33.

Upon the inner end of each propeller hub there is provided a stud 39, ofsquare or other suitable non-circular form, engaged by a correspondinglyshaped hole 4i! in the base 4! of a lever 42, this lever being bent atan inclined angle from its base and provided with a link attaching endparallel to the base and disposed for swinging movement in the central.diametric plane of the pocket 32. The base of the lever is secured tothe propeller hub by a screw 43, the head of which extends beyond thestud 39 sufficiently to retain the lever thereon, the base of the leverbeing preferably of circular form and extending beyond the periphery ofthe propeller hub, so that it abuts the inner end of the bearing sleeve33 and thus retains the propeller hub against axial movement. As clearlyseen in Fig. 2, the levers of the opposed propellers are disposed in thepocket 32 at opposite sides of the propeller shaft.

Upon the hub 22 of the fixture it there is slidably engaged a flangedcollar 4 fixed against rotation by means of a key 45 engaged in a keyslot 46 in the hub. The collar is rotatably engaged by a ring ll,retained thereon by means of a plate 48 secured to the end of the collarby screws 4%, this ring being provided at diametrically opposed pointswith forked extensions 58-55 to which links l-5l are connected at oneend by pivot pins 52-52, their other ends being connected by pivot pins53-53 to the levers 42-42 of the propellers.

The collar 34 is provided with a forked extension 54 pivotally connectedby a link 55 to the end of a lever 56 disposed for swinging movement ina pocket 51 provided in the fixture it, the hub 58 of the lever beingsecured upon a vertical shaft 59 having bearing in a vertical passage 6Din the fixture. This shaft is secured against axial movement by a flange6! rotatably engaged in a recess 62 of the upper end of the passage 86,and by a collar 63 secured upon its lower end by means of a nut 64 androtatably disposed in a recess 65 at thelower end of the passage 60.

.The shaft extends upwardly above the water line at one side of theoutboard motor structure, and at its upper end is provided with suitablemeans for rotating it for the purpose of actuating the propellershifting mechanism. For example, this actuating means may consist of ahandle 65, pivotally mounted upon the upper end of the shaft by a pivotpin 6'5, and provided with a suitable pin 58 adapted to be engaged inone of a series of holes 69 provided in a bracket 15 secured to theoutboard motor structure by screws 1' l. The holes as are so placed asto fix the position of the shaft when the propeller blades are in anyone of a series of predetermined positions of adjustment.

Each of the propeller blades 36 is provided with a fixed trailing bladesection l2 rigidly connected to the hub 28 in any suitable manner. Itmay, for instance, be integrally cast thereon, welded thereto, orconnected by screws or the like. The lead section 12 is provided with anabutment flange ":3 which engages in flush relation in a recess '54provided in the forward edge of the main body of the blade to limit theposition of the blade in the full forward driving position of thepropeller. The lead edge of the propeller is so generated that itextends continuously along the trailing blade section 72 and the mainbody of the blade.

The operation is as follows. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the propeller isin its position of adjustment for full forward speed, the actuatingmechanism being retained in this position through locking the controlhandle 66 by engaging the pin 68 in one of the holes 69. In thisposition the main body portions 36 of the propeller blades are alignedwith the lead sections 12 so that a maximum propelling surface isprovided, and the pressure of water upon the blades is in a direction tomaintain the edge of the blade in abutting relation against the leadsection, thus relieving the pitch changing mechanism from excessivestrain. The fixed relation of the lead section with the hub alsoprevents weeds and the like from becoming entangled between the loweredge of the movable blades and the hub.

In order to change the pitch to drive in reverse direction, the controlhandle 68 is moved to the selected location on the bracket 10, causingthe shaft 59 to be rotated and swinging the lever 56 in clockwisedirection, as seen in Fig. 3, causing the collar 44 to be shiftedrearwardly upon the hub 20 and thereby swinging the levers 42 to rotatethe blades into reverse driving position. In the reverse drivingposition the trailing blade sections 12 produce a slight counter effect,thus permitting the propeller to rotate at high speed while propellingthe craft at a reduced speed, which is highly desirable in moving inreverse direction. At intermediate points of adjustment the blades willpropel the craft forwardly or rearwardly at reduced speeds, and at anintermediate neutral point will cause the blades to rotate withoutpropelling the craft.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be madetherein within the spirit and scope thereof, as

defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For attachment to an outboard motor, wherein the motor includes atransversely relatively thin fin-like rudder portion at its lower endhaving a laterally extended hollow gear box portion opening at itsrearward end and having a bearing fixture mounting portion surroundingsaid opening, a variable pitch and reversible propeller unit forexternal attachment to said motor comprising a cover and bearing fixtureadapted to be secured upon said fixture mounting portion to close saidgear box opening and having a shaft bearing coaxial with thelongitudinal axis of said gear box and a hub bearing concentric to saidshaft bearing, exteriorly accessible fastening means engageable withsaid fixture mounting portion to secure said fixture thereto, apropeller shaft journaled in said shaft bearing and extended forwardlytherefrom for engagement in said gear box and rearwardly therefrom formounting a propeller hub, a hollow propeller hub fixedly mounted uponsaid rearwardly extended end of said shaft and having a bearing skirtpor tion in rotatable engagement with said hub bearing, propeller bladespivotally carried by said propeller hub, pitch changing means withinsaid hub and operatively connected to said blades to pivotally movethem, said fixture having a lever receiving recess between saidpropeller shaft and said hub bearing and a control rod bearing outwardlyat one side of said shaft with its axis in a line outwardly spaced fromand clear of said fin-like rudder portion, a control rod engaged in saidrod bearing and extended upwardly therefrom exteriorly of and inoutwardly spaced relation to said rudder portion, and a lever withinsaid recess secured at one end upon said rod for swinging movementwithin said recess and operatively connected at its other end to saidpitch changing means.

, 2. In a variable pitch and reversible propeller, a shaft, a propellerhub fixed to said shaft and having an internal recess surrounding saidshaft, said propeller hub having propeller bearing openings extendingfrom its outer surface to said internal recess, propeller bladespivotally mounted in said bearing openings and adapted to be pivotalgadjusted by pitch changing means within said internal recess, and atrailing blade member fixed to said hub in relation to each of saidpropeller blades and arranged to be aligned therewith in one position ofpivotal adjustment of said propeller blades.

3. In a variable pitch and reversible propeller, a shaft, a propellerhub fixed to said shaft and having an internal recess surrounding saidshaft, said propeller hub having propeller bearing openings extendingfrom its outer surface to said internal recess, propeller bladespivotally mounted in said bearing openings and adapted to be pivotallyadjusted by pitch changing means within said internal recess, and atrailing blade member fixed to said hub in relation to each of saidpropeller blades and arranged to be abutted thereby in one limitposition of pivotal adjustment of said blades.

LE ROY M. MELIUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,295,315 Henderson Feb. 25, 19191,302,957 Owen May 6, 1919 1,826,021 Randall Oct. 6, 1931 1,893,661Smith Jan. 10, 1933 1,917,610 Smith July 11, 1933 1,973,598 Ballard etal Sept. 11, 1934 2,290,666 Ashelman et a1 July 21, 1942 2,308,749 GeeJan. 19, 1943 2,360,571 Meehan Oct. 17, 1944

